Simulated Climate Change Affects How Biocrusts Modulate Infiltration And Desiccation Dynamics

摘要: Soil surface communities dominated by mosses, lichens and cyanobacteria (biocrusts) cover most of the soil between vegetation patches in drylands worldwide, are known to affect wetting drying after rainfall events. While ongoing climate change is already warming changing patterns many regions, little on how these changes may hydrological behaviour biocrust-covered soils. We used eight years continuous moisture data from a experiment central Spain explore biocrusts modify water gains losses events under simulated temperature (2.5°C warming) (33% reduction). Both amount biocrust increased events, whereas experimental warming, intensity initial decreased them. Initial moisture, maximum cover, means enhancing potential evapotranspiration or darkening, rates enhanced exponential Meanwhile, treatment reduced The effects treatments changed through time, with important differences first two five since its setup. These were mainly driven reductions diversity observed warming. Our results highlight importance long term studies understand responses drylands.